Author: Elvin Sakhavatoglu
Against the backdrop of the current collapsing world order, Western countries, especially the United States, are trying to establish influence in new regions.
Of course, in order to control the new states, it is necessary to organize within them and cooperate with people from different classes. The US also tries to cooperate with any political force within the states to realize its subversive intentions.
This position is also valid for Azerbaijan.
The USA has tried to form a sphere of influence in Azerbaijan and is currently doing so.
For example, he wanted to achieve his goal through Western-funded NGOs, the media, and even Iran-leaning people he considered enemies.
All three attempts are in vain.
It is true that the cooperation of the United States with Western-backed NGOs and media is not surprising. But attempts to cooperate with Iranian-leaning groups are surprising. Because the United States considers Iran one of its main enemies.
What are the points that will indicate this cooperation?
How many times has the USA presented the arrest of exposed representatives of the Iranian agency in Azerbaijan as a “violation of religious freedom”. The Religious Freedom Commission of the United States paid special attention to this point in its biased report against Azerbaijan.
Washington openly defends the “Movement of Muslim Unity” in its reports.
It seems that the US is interested in cooperation with Iran and Tehran’s henchmen in our country in order to form a sphere of influence and create chaos in Azerbaijan.
The facts prove that the United States has taken advantage of the position of religious groups in its military and political campaigns in the Middle East. Especially when the US invaded Iraq, it received serious support from the Shiite and Kurdish groups.
Azerbaijan could not reach this goal. Therefore, he cannot accept the arrest of Iranian-leaning people.
At the root of these biased statements are the points listed above. That is, there is no question of violation of any religious freedom.
All religions and nationalities are treated with respect in Azerbaijan. Muslims, Christians, Jews live in friendly conditions. This is evidenced by the images of Orthodox Christians celebrating Easter in Azerbaijan these days, spread on social networks. In those images, the Orthodox celebrate their religious holidays in a joyful atmosphere. The United States and other Western organizations do not see this environment of tolerance, they present the arrest of persons cooperating with intelligence agencies of foreign states as a “violation of religious freedom”.
The provocation plan of the USA against Azerbaijan together with Iran – 2024-05-08 11:32:18
Russia infiltrated a Swedish peace organization – Connection to Tarja Cronberg
– 2024-05-08 10:38:05
A member of the board of the Swedish peace research institute Sipri served at the same time as an advisor to the Security Council of the Russian Federation.
In April 2021, the Swedish government appointed a Russian citizen Fyodor Voitolovsky as a member of Sipri’s supervisory board. Voitolovski is a Russian academic with very close ties to the Putin administration.
At the same time, the member of the executive board of the peace organization had a dual role as an advisor to the Russian Security Council.
Voitolovski was one of the key influencers behind the Baltic Platform influence operation. On Monday, Iltalehti reported together with its international partners how the seminar organized in Kaliningrad in April was actually about securing Russia’s military interests in the Baltic Sea region.
The Security Council of the Russian Federation is a body headed by Russian President Vladimir Putin that coordinates the country’s security policy.
The secretary of the Security Council is the former head of the security service FSB, Nikolai Patrushev, and the vice-chairman is former president Dmitri Medvedev. Voitolovski has been awarded several honors by the Security Council.
The background behind Voitolovski’s appointment to Sipri was the government of Sweden’s then Social Democratic Prime Minister Stefan Löfven. Sipri’s board recommended Voitolovski.
At that time, the chairman of the board was the former deputy secretary-general of the UN and former foreign minister of the Social Democrats, Jan Eliasson. Löfven’s successor, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, appointed Löfven as Eliasson’s successor to Sipri’s executive board in March 2022.
Fyodor Voitolovski (left) as chairman in a discussion in which Tarja Cronberg participated in November 2023. The discussion was part of the Baltic Platform influence operation. Imemo Ran / Screenshot
Shelved in the fall
Not even the war of aggression started by Russia in Ukraine was an obstacle to Voitolovski’s membership. He remained on the board of the Peace Institute Sipri until September 2023, until the term was finally terminated after Voitolovski announced his open support for Russia’s military actions in Ukraine.
– They have told me that for political reasons I can no longer be a full member of the CPB board. So, as a representative of a Russian academic institution, I must be fired. So I’ve been fired, that’s all, Voitolovski says.
However, this did not end the connections between Voitolovski and Sipri.
Voitolovski was one of the key influencers behind the Baltic Platform influence operation.
On Monday, Iltalehti reported together with its international partners how the seminar organized in Kaliningrad in April was actually about securing Russia’s military interests in the Baltic Sea region.
Sipri researcher Tarja Cronberg traveled from Finland to Kaliningrad. The trip was approved by Sipri’s director Dan Smith and the costs were paid by Russia.
According to Voitolovski, he invited Cronberg. He tells about it to Expressen, which investigated the Baltic Platform operation with Iltalehti.
– We invited him because he is a very famous, world-renowned champion of peace, Voitolovski says.
Fyodor Voitolovski (second from left) with Tarja Cronberg on stage in Moscow in November 2023. The panel discussion was part of the Primakov Readings seminar, where, according to internal Kremlin plans seen by Iltalehti, the Baltic Platform operation was to be promoted. MEMO
The ambassador recommended
Cronberg’s and Voitolovski’s collaboration was also the Primakov Readings seminar organized in Moscow last November.
Cronberg told Iltalehti that Finland’s ambassador to Russia Antti Helanterä recommended him for that seminar. Helanterä confirmed the matter to Iltalehte and said that he himself participated as a listener in the Primakov Readings seminars last year and the year before.
– My role was to bring them together. I don’t think it’s recommended yet. They were looking for a researcher with a certain profile, and I was helpful to them, Helanterä commented on the matter on Tuesday to STT.
Foreign minister Elina Valtonen (kok) did not answer Iltalehti’s question on Tuesday whether recommending Finnish speakers or participating in events was in Finland’s interest.
In connection with the conference, Cronberg was quoted in the Russian media about the danger of nuclear war.
The Russian state news agency Tass quoted Cronberg as saying that the Nordic countries are increasing their defense spending and military exercises in the Baltic Sea region.
The message is fully in line with the design documents of the Baltic Platform. Cronberg’s proposed nuclear-weapon-free zone would require the disarmament of NATO in the Baltic Sea region.
Denies the influence operation
Voitolovski denies that the Baltic Platform project is an influence operation.
– We are interested in academic dialogue. And I think that in these times it is more than necessary to have such a dialogue and exchange views on international relations, the security situation, all issues, including culture, including some, including environmental issues, Voitolovski says.
He dismisses as “terribly funny” the international news that last year revealed the plans behind the Baltic Platform.
– It was one of the many examples of the prevailing absurdity. You know that in all international crises conspiracy theories flourish. It’s very easy to say that these academics, this university, this think tank is trying to organize some covert action, when in reality it’s an attempt to have an open academic dialogue, he said.
Voitolovski’s statements reflect the views of Markku Kangaspuro, director of the University of Helsinki’s Alexander Institute. He previously commented to Iltalehti that it was “useful and actually necessary to know and hear” the “different viewpoints” present in Russian research and university circles.
In Sweden, it’s crazy
In Sweden, the attitude towards Cronberg’s travels has been very different than in Finland.
The Swedish Parliament was founded by the Stockholm peace research institute Sipri in the 1960s at the initiative of the then prime minister, Tage Erlander. It receives a large part of its funding from the Swedish government.
The Swedish government demanded that Sipri’s leadership be held accountable for how the peace organization has become an intermediary for Russian propaganda.
– I consider this very problematic, commented Swedish Development Minister Johan Forssell to Iltalehti’s partner Expressen.
The appointment of Voitolovski to Sipri’s board also puts the Swedish government’s own activities in a strange light.
The article is based on information acquisition carried out as an international collaboration, in which, in addition to Iltalehti, Delfi (Estonia), LRT (Lithuania), Expressen (Sweden), Paper Trail Media (Germany) and The Insider participated.
Russia infiltrated a Swedish peace organization – Connection to Tarja Cronberg – 2024-05-08 10:38:05
Suburban: Stop for three weeks, from Monday the maintenance of the line in the South Branch
– 2024-05-08 11:39:17
As “Peloponnisos” had written a few days ago, after Easter the main contract for heavy maintenance of the railway line of the Suburban of Patras begins.
According to reports, work will begin on Monday 13 May and will include complete disruption of routes to the southern branch for a period of time three weeksas it will become whole rail replacement and repairs, by central station of the Three Allies squareup to Agios Andreas station and maintenance work on remaining section up to Kato Achaia.
The contract will cause the line to retract and increasing the speed of the train, as a result of which the execution times of the routes on the southern branch will also be improved, so that the connection with the routes of the northern branch will also be served.
In view of this improvement, yesterday they were at the OSE station in Kato Achaia, the Deputy Minister of Transport Christina Alexopoulou, together with the managing director of the organization Panagiotis Terezakis, where they collaborated with the mayor of Western Achaia Grigoris Alexopoulos and his associates.
Examined prospect of resuming Suburban routes after line maintenance. It should be noted that in recent months, the train stops at Kaminion stationso that it is possible to connect the train with that of the northern branch from the station of Agios Andreas.
THE maintenance of the line, as mentioned above, will bring the train back on the line to Kato Achaiaand as “P” is able to know, the municipal authority of Grigoris Alexopoulos has plans to upgrade the OSE station and utilize the medium, to increase tourist traffic and passenger service for the public of Western Achaia.
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